Person
Axon, Albert Edwin (1898 - 1974)
KBE HonFIEAust
- Born
- 21 December 1898
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Died
- 17 February 1974
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Occupation
- Business executive and Electrical engineer
Summary
Sir Albert Axon, KBE ME DEng DSc, electrical engineer, was a prominent, respected figure in the electricity industry. In 1929 he established himself as a consultant to the Queensland Government, and in 1936 became one of 4 people on the Commission that led to the establishment of the State Electricity Commission. In 1948 he founded A. E. Axon & Associates which conducted various electrical installations.
From 1957-1966 Axon was Chancellor of the University of Queensland, during which time the university expanded considerably, and in 1959 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). During the late 1950s and 1960s he also held many prominent positions in business including: Chairman of Queensland Cement & Lime Co. Ltd; Delegate to the Cement and Concrete Association of Australia; Chairman of the South Brisbane Gas & Light Co. Ltd (later Allgas Ltd); and Director of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation (1959-1964).
Details
Chronology
- 1918 - 1919
- Military service - First World War. Private, Australian Imperial Force
- 1919 - 1923
- Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Queensland [Completion delayed by Military Service]
- 1920
- Career position - Intern, City Electric Light Co. Ltd, Brisbane
- 1921
- Career event - Student Member (StudIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1923 - 1928
- Education - Master of Engineering (ME), University of Queensland
- 1926
- Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1926 - c. 1929
- Career position - Engineer, Electrical and Mechanical Department, A. E. Harding Frew Engineers.
- 1929
- Career event - Established private practice as consulting electrical and mechanical engineer
- 1935 - 1966
- Career position - Member of Senate of the Men Graduates' Association, University of Queensland
- 1936
- Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1936 - 1947
- Career position - Part-time member of Royal Commission into Electricity
- 1942 - 1944
- Military service - Second World War. Major and later Colonel, Australian Army
- 1948
- Career event - Established A. E. Axon & Associates
- 1956
- Career position - Chairman of the Men Graduates' Association, University of Queensland
- 1957 - 1966
- Career position - Chancellor, University of Queensland
- 1959
- Award - Order of the British Empire - Knights Commander (KBE) - For services as the Chancellor of the University of Queensland.
- 1959 - 1964
- Career position - Director, Commonwealth Banking Corporation
- 1960
- Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering, Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1961
- Award - Honorary Doctorate, University of New England, United States
- 1961
- Award - Doctor of Engineering (DEng), honoris causa, University of Melbourne
- 1966
- Award - Honorary Member (HonMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1968
- Award - Honorary Fellow (HonFIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Hon.Members were designated Hon.Fellows on this date.]
- 1972
- Award - Doctor of Engineering (DEng), honoris causa, University of Queensland
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- George, W. I., 'Axon, Sir Albert Edwin (1898-1974), Engineer, Businessman and University Chancellor' in Australian Dictionary of Biography, John Ritchie, ed., vol. 13 (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), pp. 85-86. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130103b.htm. Details
Edited Books
- Whitmore, R. L. ed., Eminent Queensland Engineers [volume 1] (Brisbane, Queensland: The Institution of Engineers, Australia, Queensland Division, 1984), 75 pp. https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2017-01/eqe_vol_i.compressed.pdf. pp.6-7 'Colonel Sir Albert Axon KBE HonDEng(Melb) HonDEng(Qld) HonDSc(N.E.) ME(Qld) HonFIEAust FIEEE'. Details
Journal Articles
- 'Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal: 1960 Award [Sir Albert Axon, KBE ME MIEAust]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 33 (1961), N3. Details
Reports
- Institution of Engineers Australia, Forty-first Annual Report [1960] (1961), 14 pp. 'Prizes - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal (1960 Award), to Sir Albert Axon, KBE ME MIEAust', p.2. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21537862. Details
- CA 2001 Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 'NAA: B2455, Axon A E', B2455 First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=3042137. Details
- CA 2002, 2 Echelon, Army Headquarters; CA 46, Department of Defence [III], Central Office, 'NAA: B883, QX36203', B883 Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4917099. Details
- 'Axon, Albert Edwin (18981221-19740217)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1479166. Details
- 'Awarded honorary DEng, 1961', Honorary degree holders, University of Melbourne, 2023, https://about.unimelb.edu.au/notable-alumni-staff/honorary-degree-holders. Details
- 'Awarded honorary DEng, 1972 [Citation provided]', Honorary awards recipients, University of Queensland, 2023, https://alumni.uq.edu.au/awards/honorary-awards-previous-recipients. Details
Rebecca Rigby; Ken McInnes
Created: 16 November 2012, Last modified: 22 November 2023